


burns at both ends

by orphan_account



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Families of Choice, Hurt/Comfort, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:40:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26110531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Henry has a lot of expectations for his life. How can he not?He's now the heir of his father's company ever since his older brother had died and, now that he's pushing close to thirty, his mother has been pushing him to find himself some pretty wife. He wants to tell her he did try – six times and he's not hesitant to say that he's wasted too many years over those girls.He has a lot of expectations in life – but never, in his twenty-seven years of living, would he have expected to see his six exes dating each other.
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr, Anne of Cleves/Katherine Howard, Catherine of Aragon/Jane Seymour
Comments: 7
Kudos: 45





	1. clearly that's not true and she is just a lesbian

**Author's Note:**

> super self-indulgent and tropey so,, u have been warned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // mentions of miscarriage

“Anne, where the hell are you?”

She winces at the volume of the voice coming from her phone, rolling her eyes as she pulls it away from her ear, mindlessly twirling a strand of hair with her finger, humming her favorite tunes absentmindedly. “Calm down, Bess,” she replies, yawning, “We’re having a family reunion right now or something. Have to meet my cousin, apparently – Kate Hannah or whatever her name was. I don’t really care.”

“You couldn’t have told me that beforehand?” she hears the scowl on Bessie’s face and giggles to herself, “Oh, don’t laugh your ass at me, Bo. You do know you were supposed to meet _Shakesy P_ today, right? He wants you writing for him.”

“That’s not how I work, Bess, tell him that,” she says, clipped, “He’s not supposed to be wanting _me_ writing for me – I’m supposed to want to write for him.”

“Oh, come on, Anne!” she hears Bessie from the other line, “This could be your big break, you know that. You know how much of a big deal the guy is,” she rolls her eyes, “You honestly can’t reject this.”

She snorts, scraping carelessly against her polished nails, shaking her head. “Of course, I’m not gonna reject this,” she hisses, “I’m no idiot, Bessie. I know how much I could get from this –” she hears a sigh of relief coming from Bessie and smiles, fondly rolling her eyes, “– but that doesn’t mean that _I’ll_ the one doing the begging. I’ll make sure to make him know that he needs _me_ , not the other way around.”

“But it _is_ the other way around, Bo,” she hears the eye roll from Bessie’s tone, “You know what – do what you want, Anne. I won’t stop you. Just don’t fuck up the whole thing with Shakesy.”

“Oh, you have such little faith in me, Bess,” she says, mocking, brows raising when the doors are slammed open, “Hey, I’ve got to go now. They already arrived,” and, with that, she hangs up the call, pockets her phone, not bothering to wait for a response from Bessie, eyes stuck on the thin, petite girl hiding behind her Uncle Teddy. Dyed pink hair pulled into a high ponytail, clad in garments of neon pink – _ew_ , she sneers – and plain black. Small frame and cowering. She huffs – this Kate girl, her cousin, seemed so unlike from her parents and siblings. Though, that might have been biased on her side – she had always favored the energetic Izzy. She furrows her brows when she realizes none of the Howards – other than Kate and her parents – are here.

“Annie!” her Aunt Joyce squeals out, piercing and shrill, bouncing on her toes as she walks to Anne, pulling her in an unprompted – and quite unwelcome but Anne resists to comment, only for the sake of being polite – hug, “Sweetheart, you’ve grown so much! How is your career doing? Oh, you look so much like your father now,” much to Anne’s relief, she pulls away and leads her daughter to Anne instead, “Have you met my daughter? Your cousin?” she smiles – more of a wince, really – at Kate, “Kitty, go say hi.”

_Oh, oops._

“Hi,” and her voice is frail, shaking and Anne feels an unrelated wave of sympathy coursing through her, concern in her eyes, “I’m Katherine. You can call me Kitty, though.”

“Anne,” she says, waving, then tilts her head, humming, “Why have I never seen you before, though? I’ve seen Izzy, George and Charlie but never –”

Uncle Edward waves her off, cutting off her statement, as he steps forward. “No need for that,” he says, “Where are your parents, by the way?”

“Oh, they couldn’t make it,” she shrugs, “What was this all for, anyways?”

Aunt Joyce’s eyes brighten, clapping happily. “Our Kitty is thinking of pursuing her singing!” her expression sours, already knowing the destination of this discussion, “You know, since you’re already familiar with the industry, maybe, you could show her the ropes?” _and give everything to her in a silver platter?_ “She’s been dreaming of working with you ever since. You’re really amazing at what you do, Annie.”

“I know I am,” she snaps, eyes cold as she stares at Kitty, chest tightening when the other girl visibly shrinks, posture slumping, and she lets out a defeated sigh, “Look, I’d love to boost Kitty’s career and all _but_ , to do that, that would mean having to hand everything to her easily. She needs to work for it.”

“ _And_ she will!” her aunt walks to her, expression pleading, taking her hands, “Just write a few songs for her or pull some strings. That’s all, Anne.”

“It’s just unfair,” she tuts, shaking her head, sighing, “But, then again, when is the world ever fair?” her aunt and uncle’s expressions brighten as she shrugs, “Sure, I’ll pull some strings for her, hire her some agents and all. I won’t write any songs for her, though.”

Aunt Joyce nods happily. “Oh, thank you, Annie!” she says, pushing Kitty by her side, “Now, you two spend some cousin time together, alright?” she clings to her husband’s arm, waving away, and Anne’s eyes widen in panic when they start to walk away, “Call us when you need us to fetch you, Kitty,” she says to her daughter. Anne can only stare in shock as they walk away from the restaurant, mouth open in disbelief.

Kitty sighs beside her, setting herself down on the chair, sipping on the iced tea before her. “Sorry ‘bout them,” she says, words slurred, “They’re really like that.”

“Trust me, I know,” she sits down on the chair, glaring as she stares at the two other glasses of iced tea she’s ordered – what a waste, “I’ve spent enough time with them during Thanksgiving and Christmas to know that they’re a pain in the ass.”

“Don’t worry,” Kitty says, finishing her iced tea with one last sip, “I’ll finish the other two,” she leans to pull both glasses her way, sipping happily, “Anyways, I really do like singing and I don’t really want to cheat my way into the industry because of my famous cousin,” she says, truthful, “It’s really shitty to do that, I know, but my parents would only let me do that if I follow by their conditions.”

“Aren’t you like… twenty, though?” she says, squinting, “Why won’t you just move out?”

“Not that easy,” Kitty says and something about her tone tells Anne to drop the topic but, as always, her soul is stubborn and continues to persist the topic.

“Why not?” Kitty sends her a look and Anne raises her hands in surrender, “Alright, alright, calm down, kitty-cat,” she smiles teasingly when Kitty rolls her eyes, then hums, thoughtful, “…I’ve seen you before.”

Kitty shrugs. “Many people did.”

Anne only shakes her head, gaze scrutinizing. Pink hair, pink clothes, pink lips – _oh._

“Oh,” she says, drawn-out, “You’re one of Henry’s exes.”

Kitty’s eyes widen at the mention of his name, head snapping to her direction. “How do you know?” she asks, sipping on the iced tea.

“I was one of his exes,” she says, reveling in the shock that settles in Kitty’s face, “Yeah, I know, how could a beautiful woman like me even think to date his ugly, narcissistic and disgusting ass?” she shakes her head, sighing, “I don’t know, either. What a waste of five good months of my life. Honestly, what was twenty-year-old me even thinking?” she pauses, looking at Anne, “Hold on, that was five years ago. What age were you when you dated him? I know you’re, like, eight years younger than me.”

“Chill out, it’s only five years,” she says, “I was eighteen, I think? I don’t really know. Most of my relationships were short-lived,” she shrugs, “Not really looking for one, right now, and I’m, like, twenty-three, right now, so,” she looks at Anne, gaze thoughtful, “Who’s his new chick now?”

Anne splutters. “Why would you assume I know?”

“I bet you’re the type who obsessively stalks their ex to see if their new one is prettier than you,” she says, snorting at Anne’s flushed cheeks, “I mean, you recognized me as Henry’s ex, not as your cousin so I’d only assume you check his socials often.”

“Don’t assume what people do with their lives – it’s rude,” she says, “But, yeah, you’re right. I do check his socials often –” she ignores Kitty’s knowing stare, “– _not_ because I want to see if they’re prettier than me but because I want to see the new victim of Henry’s smelly dick,” Kitty snorts into her drink, “Anyways, to answer your question, he doesn’t have anyone, right now. Just broke up with this writer girl, though – Kelly Barr, I think? I don’t know – I’m really bad with names.”

Kitty hums. “Did you know he threatened to behead me once?”

“The fuck?” Anne says, “Same.”

Silence and then, “Isn’t his ass so medieval?”

Anne laughs, smirking. “Looks medieval as well,” she says and raises her brows, eyes shining as she turns abruptly to face Kitty, “He had six exes, didn’t he? Including the two of us?”

Kitty shrugs, already on her third glass of iced tea. “I don’t know,” she says, “You’re the one who does the stalking.”

“Well, you’ve better do some as well because –” she smirks, standing from her chair, “– I’ve got a plan!”

Kitty groans into her drink, defeated. Anne happily ignores her.

**x**

“Raise a glass to the absolute gift of God called women!”

“Amen to that!” Catalina whoops into the air, chugging down the dregs of her drink, “Jesus, Anna, you do not know half the shit I had to deal with today,” she shakes her head, stretching, collapsing on the loveseat, spilling the drink all over herself, groaning as she leans to refill her empty glass, “They tell me I’m not capable of managing _my_ business because of my so-called emotions,” she growls into her glass, glaring, “Well, I’ll fucking shove my foot up their asses. I’m sure that’d make them feel my _so-called emotions._ ”

Anna bursts in laughter, throwing her head back. “Yeah, go do that, Lina,” she says, chugging on the battle, “My father wants me to marry, says it’s bad for the family image,” she snorts, “Gotta be like my little perfect, pretty sister – ugh, honestly, the least they can do is spare me their bullshit,” her tone is mocking and she sneers, “I don’t ever, ever want to get married and live the suburban fantasy with some monstrous children set on ruining my life,” Catalina hums, agreeing, “They’re all good for nothing – the man, the suburbia, the children. I mean, if people want that, who am I to judge? But they can’t subject me into their description of paradise and success,” she shakes her head, “If I want to eat pussy, _I’ll_ eat pussy.”

“Christ, Anna,” she says, “Why does everything about you have to be sexual?”

“My trademark,” she takes another gulp, “I’m glad they haven’t cut me off yet but, if they suggest to me one more time to find me some rich man, I swear I’ll do it myself,” she leans against her seat, “I mean, how many times do I gotta tell them? I don’t _need_ to marry some rich man when _I_ am that rich man.”

“You’re so damn cocky, Cleves,” Catalina reaches to refill her drink once more, “And you aren’t fooling anyone with that quote – we all know that was from some 80s movie.”

“Who knows?” Anna says, “And with a body like this, how can I _not_ be cocky? I mean, have you seen me, Cat? You aren’t gonna find anyone better than this.”

Catalina laughs, scoffing. “Are you still dating that girl – Emma or whatever?”

“Nope,” she says, shaking her head, popping the _p_ , “I’ve decided to only do casual relationships from now on. Feelings are fucking terrifying.”

Catalina raises a brow. “And this is coming from a twenty five-year-old woman?”

“Hey, you’re thirty-one and still single,” she snorts, “Not judging, though. Relationships are just some inconvenience and will just leave you fucked up and pathetic.”

“Damn right, they do,” she sits up, taking a sip from her glass, humming thoughtfully, “You know, I had this ex from middle school –”

Anna spits out her drink and Catalina glares at her.

“What?” she says, raising her hands innocently, “You just told me you had an ex from _middle school_. How the hell am I supposed to react?” she swings her legs over the arms of the chair, setting the empty glass down the floor, “Middle school – we were all like babies that time and you’re out here telling me you had an ex during that time.”

“It was my longest relationship,” she says, continuing, “Middle school to first year of business school.”

Anna whistles, looking back to look at Catalina. “Damn, Lina.”

“Yeah,” she says, voice breathy, “Eight years. The guy I was with was an absolute asshole – the jerk, cheating type. I honestly don’t know why I even put up with him, you know?” she sighs, “I guess, at that time, I believed the only way a woman could be successful was to marry an even more successful man and I guess, at that time, Henry fit into that category,” Anna sends her a disbelieving look and Catalina shrugs, nodding, “Cheated on me with some girl and broke up with me right there and then. I’m glad for that, though,” she takes another gulp, “Made me realize my worth, you know?”

Anna is still looking at her, still disbelieving. Catalina snorts.

“I know, I was a dumb bitch back then,” she says, “But, hey, weren’t we all?”

“No, no, it’s not that,” Anna looks at her, eyes widening, “What did you say your ex’s name was?”

Catalina looks at her, gaze questioning, but proceeds to answer the question, anyway. “Henry,” she answers carefully, slow and drawn-out as she tries to study Anna and her intentions, “Why are you asking?”

Much to her annoyance, Anna ignores her and brushes off her questions. “Say, what’d he look like?” she walks closer, “Big beard, round face, small dick?”

Catalina snorts at the last one but nods, anyways. “How did you know?”

Anna bursts in a fit of laughter, chest heaving as hunches over, clutching on her stomach, hand hitting the poor arm of the sofa. “Fuck, Lina,” she manages in between her laughter, “This is some small world we live in, huh? Guess what?” her laughter comes to a halt and her lips twists into a sneaky smile, leaning close to whisper, “He was my ex too.”

Catalina gasps. “Seriously?”

“The fucking most!” Anna cheers into the air and Catalina doesn’t really see why she’s celebrating, “He told me I catfished him but he was just embarrassed cause I humiliated him in front of his friends. He’s a fucking pain in the ass, by the way. Have no clue how you dealt with him for eight years when I couldn’t even deal with his stinky breath for more than a month.”

She shakes her head in amusement, snorting. “God, what a fucking world we live in.”

“Right,” Anna says, smile dropping when she hears a notification from her phone, picking it out of her pocket, reading over it, face scrunching, “Hey, Lina, read this, would you?”

She leans to read whatever Anna is pushing right in front of her face, tilting her head as she reads over the message. “What the fuck,” she softly says, leaning back into the couch.

**x**

“Miss Jane, pretty please?”

Jane leans down to bop the little kid’s nose, ruffling his hair, a smile on her face. “Of course, Juan,” she says, “We have leftovers in the kitchen. Should be enough for you and your sister,” she smiles at the little girl beside her brother, “Would you like me to lead you both into the kitchen?”

They both shake their head, talking to themselves as they walk out of Jane’s sight.

She sighs, running a hand over her hair, walking back to her desk. “Hey, Mar,” she says, cracking her knuckles, sitting beside Joan, “I feel like I could sleep for one whole week and still wake up tired.”

The other two murmur their agreement, exhaustion heavily laced in their voices. Jane doesn’t blame them, sighing as she opens her phone, fingers unconsciously tapping on the app, bringing herself back to his profile, chest tightening as she glances at his picture. She closes her eyes, head throbbing, leaning against the chair, back aching from the hard wood.

“Don’t tell me you’re still thinking about that Henry dude,” she hears Maria say, “Forget about him, Jane. You know you’re too good for him. He’s a fucking dickhead, you know.”

“Yeah, you deserve someone better,” then, a snort from Joan, “Someone who won’t dump you after a miscarriage, that is.”

Jane squeezes her eyes close when a sudden flood of unprompted memories comes back rushing to her head – echoes of her own cries, faded prints of Henry’s messages, black and white pictures of her unborn child. “Can… can we please not talk about that?” she says, pleading, “I don’t really want to think about that right now.”

“Right, of course,” she hears Joan say, “Sorry, Jane.”

“S’alright,” she slurs out, head lolling back on the wall, biting her tongue to suppress a yawn, “How’s the case for Mary and Lizzie going on?”

“Eh, it’s fine, I guess,” Maria says and Jane smiles, hearing the shrugging from her mere tone, “Parents are decent, I guess. Nothing we can really do about it, though.”

“Fucking sucks,” Joan says and Jane can’t help but agree, “The whole system fucking sucks. I wish we could change it.”

“Hey,” she says, eyes fluttering open to throw a smile at them both, “We never know – we just might,” she straightens her posture, wincing when she hears the familiar crack of her bones, “We just need to keep working hard.”

“You’re so fucking optimistic, you know that,” Maria says to her. Jane laughs, her attention stolen when her phone rings, brows knitting in confusion as she reads the message.

**From Anne Bo: hi, you don’t know me but you will (or you might have already so don’t mind that). i’m one of henry’s exes. would you meet me at this address.**

_Huh._

**x**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok but the six ship names are so damn pretty like,,, parrlyn? aramour? katanna? aralyn? unmatched.


	2. don't know what i'm sayin' but i know i'm not playin'

“Cathy, you left your phone at my place.”

“Oh, thanks,” she says, taking her phone from Maggie, throwing her a grateful smile, “My back is killing me,” she sits on her chair, opening her laptop whilst she scrolls through her phone, humming, “I’ve been editing the whole night. Barely got a wink of sleep.”

Maggie tuts beside her, the faint sound of keyboards clicking echoing in their quiet office. “You know you shouldn’t overwork yourself, Cath,” she scolds, brows raised, “Anyways, how’s your draft coming?”

“Was hit with a writer’s block yesterday so I just edited the whole thing,” Cathy shrugs, leaning back in her chair as she waits for her laptop to turn on, brows furrowing when she clicks through her Insta, “Writer’s block is such a bitch,” she shakes her head, snorting, “Mags, remember my ex?”

“The ugly one?” Maggie smirks.

Cathy lets out a laugh, scoffing. “Yeah, that one,” she says, “Henry Tudor – did you know one of his exes messaged me? Anne Bo, the songwriter. You know her?”

“I like the songs she’s written,” Maggie says, “I don’t like her that much, though. I’ve gotta admit, though – she’s a lyrical genius. I heard Shakesy wanted her to write for him.”

“Well, she messaged me today,” Cathy reads the message Anne sent her aloud to Maggie, “Hi, you don’t know me but you will –” she snorts, “– but you might have already so don’t mind that. I’m one of Henry’s exes. Would you meet me at this address?”

Maggie snorts. “Bet she’s planning to form a band against Henry.”

“Taylor Swift but make it six,” Cathy jokes, shaking her head in amusement, setting her phone down, “Hey, that’s actually kinda catchy,” she unlocks her laptop and proceeds to run over her multiple drafts, eyes drawn to the screen, unblinking.

Maggie wheezes at that. “Suggest it to her,” she says, “She might consider it.”

“I don’t even know if I want to come with, anyways,” she says, typing furiously on her keyboard, “My schedule’s packed and I’m not really up for a brawl, you get me?”

“Yeah,” Maggie says, “It’s kind of odd, though. Why do you think she wants to meet up with you all?”

“Some sinister reason that involves kicking and screaming,” she replies offhandedly, yawning, “I should’ve slept. I can barely focus even after three cups of coffee.”

“Don’t tell me you drank all those on an empty stomach.”

Cathy sends Maggie a guilty look before she resumes to her writing, her pace slowing.

“Well, get ready for stomach aches and endless shitting,” Cathy shrugs carelessly, desperately trying to keep her eyes open, “Go take a walk or something, Parr. It’ll help you.”

She stands from her chair, stretching her unused limbs, satisfied with the sound of her bone cracking. She drapes the coat over herself and waves a goodbye to Maggie, walking out their office and to the door, opening it to be greeted by the chill air. She takes a deep breath, willing her racing thoughts to come to a halt.

**x**

“You can’t blame her, Anne.”

Anne’s arms flail around, throwing daggers at Kitty’s way. “Uh – _yes,_ I can!” she exclaims, not minding the looks people send her way, “She didn’t even have the decency to reply! Just left me on fucking read! Fucking entitled bitch! What, just because she writes pretty, little shit fairytales, she’s suddenly above me?” she releases a huff, slumping down the chair, sipping on her Frappuccino, “I mean, at least, Aragon replied – sure, she cursed me a few times but I get it – and agreed to meet up. All of them did – Anya Cheeks and Jane Seams. Or whatever they’re called,” she shakes her head, scoffing, “But that Kelly Barr bitch just thought she was too good for me, didn’t she? Well, I’d remind her I’m fucking amazing! She should be honored that _I_ decided to DM her.”

Kitty rolls her eyes, staring down at the sleeves overlapping her hands, her small frame sinking in the oversized turtleneck. “Anne, you do know that not everyone would agree to your plan?” she says, rolling her eyes at Anne’s unneeded drama, “I mean, I bet she’s probably busy. Imagine, your ex’s ex suddenly messaging and telling you to meet up. Doesn’t that sound just a bit weird to you?”

“Yeah, well, it didn’t sound like that to others except to her annoying ass!”

Kitty groans, the urge to bury herself underground overwhelming her. Two days with Anne and she feels herself at the brink of losing her mind. “Anne,” she says slowly, drawn-out, serious, “Remember what you said? Don’t assume shit about people? Well, do it and practice what you preach. Lay off the poor girl. I’m sure it’s nothing about egos but the fact that she’s busy,” she says, “Not everyone has free time, Anne.”

“Whatever,” she sighs, propping her elbows on the table, “What time is it? We’ve been waiting forever.”

Kitty stares at her pointedly. “We’ve literally just arrived and got our orders, Anne,” she scoffs, “You’ve gotta chill sometimes, you know?”

Anne shrugs. “Life’s too short for that.”

“How philosophical,” Kitty comments.

For a few moments, they drown out in the silence, the faint chatter ringing in their ears, losing themselves in the calming, familiar atmosphere of the coffee shop, faded tunes playing in the speakers. Kitty barely blinks before she sees the door opening in her peripheral, the ringing of the bell throughout the whole shop. Two tall women enter the shop – the taller one clad in a maroon suit and the other one in a golden silk blazer, both classy in their own right. The golden one recognizes Anne and her eyes quint into slits, both approaching their table. They settle down across her and Anne, a frosty air around them.

Anne and the yellow-clad woman are stuck in a heated glare. Kitty looks around and awkwardly waves at the other girl. They both agree mutually to end the silence.

“I’m Anna,” she introduces, a strong accent coating her words, an uneasy smile on her face. Kitty smiles, shaking her hand.

“Katherine but you can call me Kitty,” she says, letting go of Anna’s hand to look at the other girl expectantly. She rolls her eyes when the other two are still locked in a staring contest, both unmoving and unblinking.

Anna nudges the other woman.

“Oh, I’m Catalina,” she says, smiling kindly at Kitty before it dissipates to a scowl when she faces Anne, “Lina is fine as well, though.”

“I’m Anne,” she grits out, “But I’m sure you already know that.”

Silence again. God only knows how much Kitty hates it.

Much to her relief, Anna comes to the rescue. “Anyways,” she starts warily, “Care to explain why we had to meet up or would you prefer to have a staring contest with Lina till both your eyes bleed?”

Anne looks away from Catalina and faces Anna with a bright smile, hands happily clapping. “Well, we all have one thing in common,” she says, drawing out a sigh from Kitty, to which she responds with a side-eye glance, “Our dear, old ex – Henry Tudor.”

“This isn’t, like, some invitation to fight, is it?”

“Oh, goodness, no,” Anne says, waving her hands, “I actually have a plan to spite that ass.”

Catalina raises her brows, her curiosity piqued. “And what is this plan of yours?”

“Oh, let’s wait for the other girl and then I can tell you,” Anne says, eyes raking over her nails, “I don’t like repeating myself.”

Catalina narrows her eyes but shrugs, counting the table. “If he has six exes, why is there only four of us, aside from Jane,” she says, brows raised, “Where’s the other one?”

“The Kelly Barr bitch?” Anne says and Kitty doesn’t blame the other two for Anne’s crude wording, “She didn’t even bother to reply – a _no_ would have sufficed – but, no, little miss writer thinks she’s above all,” she mocks, rolling her eyes in annoyance, “Fucking bitch.”

“If there’s someone being an entitled bitch, I’m sure that’s you, Anne,” Catalina snaps, scoffing, “People have a life outside their social media, you know that, right?” she explains it carefully as if she were talking to an unruly child incapable of listening – which, in all honestly, really isn’t too far from the truth, “Sometimes, when they’re busy living their life, they don’t have the time to reply to their ex’s ex telling them to meet up,” and, with every word, she nods her head, a mocking encouragement, “Did you understand all that, Anne? I won’t judge if you didn’t – I know your intellect is limited.”

“Eat shit and die,” she raises her middle finger, sticking her tongue out.

Anna laughs like there’s no tomorrow. Kitty smiles, the other woman’s joy contagious, giggling at Catalina’s red face.

“I’ll go order for Anna and me,” Catalina says, standing from the table. Anne growls, nails scratching on the wood as she carefully watches Catalina.

Kitty rolls her eyes, sharing amused looks with Anna, leaning over to whisper words out of Anne’s earshot.

“Aren’t they annoying?” she says, hushed. Anna snorts.

“The most,” she whispers back, “Lina isn’t usually this bitchy, though. I guess Anne just brings it out of her.”

“Wish I could say the same,” Kitty says, sneaking glances at Anne, “She’s actually my cousin and we only met two days ago but, boy, oh, boy, you don’t how many times I’ve pulled my hair from my scalp just from listening to her talk,” Anna laughs and she glances at Anne – whose scrolling through her phone, humming – and smiles guiltily, “I mean, she’s great, really, she is. Sometimes, she just… can be too much, you get me?”

“Totally,” Anna snorts out, struggling to keep her laughter in, “I’ve heard of her and her songs – pretty nice, by the way. Clever lyrics,” Kitty smiles at the compliment for her cousin, “And, wow, both of you are cousins? Damn, we really do live in a small world,” she whistles, amusement clear in her face, “How the hell did Henry manage to ask you to date him? You’re way too fine.”

Kitty pleasantly blushes, smiling widely, feeling at ease with Anna – unlike the uneasy air with Catalina. “I should be the one asking you that,” she winks and revels in Anna’s pretty flush, “But, to be honest, we’re all too good for him, aren’t we? I mean, you and Catalina look like you’re straight out of a magazine.”

“I could say the same for you and Bo,” she says, eyes twinkling as she rakes over Kitty’s outfit, “Cute sweater, by the way. Color suits you.”

She smiles, cocky, flipping her high-ponytail over her shoulder. “I know it does, babe,” she says, the conversation between them flowing easily and without tension, “You look pretty great in that suit yourself, you know.”

“I know I do,” Anna says, leaning closer to Kitty, “I look great in everything but –” she smirks, “– but I would look better in nothing.”

Kitty feels her stomach roll but she masks her wince with a forced laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure you would,” she says, taking a sip of her frappe. Anna, as if almost immediately sensing the shift in the air, looks at her apologetically, smile now gentle, holding none of its teasing quirks as it did before.

“Sorry, did that make you uncomfortable?” Anna winces, hand scratching her nape, “I’m sorry. I should’ve, well – I swear I’m not a perv or anything but, well, I guess I’m really open when it comes to sex and, if you’re not, I’m really sorry for making you uncomfortable. I swear, that wasn’t my intention at all. It’s just with Lina – we’re really open with this thing –”

Kitty laughs, shaking her head, bringing Anna’s rant to a sudden stop. “Anna,” she says, eyes crinkled in amusement as she watches multiple emotions flicker over Anna’s face, “It’s alright. No biggie. What you said just reminded me of an ex, I guess.”

Anna’s face softens, a gentle understanding dawning on her features. “Oh,” she lets out, “Well, I’ll remember not to say that again,” she says, smiling, “I’ve got to admit – you’re pretty good at flirting. Teach me your ways sometime, yeah?”

Kitty smiles, knowing what Anna is hinting, stomach fluttering. “Yeah, sure,” she says, leaning in closer, their faces only a few inches away from each other, “Maybe, tomorrow? Same time, same place.”

“No pro –”

“ _Ah_!”

They flinch, looking over at the sound, brows creasing when they see Catalina apologizing to some blonde woman covered in what looks like coffee.

**x**

“Oh, fuck, I’m so sorry!”

Jane winces when the hot coffee stains her perfectly white blouse, flinching away from the sudden heat coursing through her. The stranger frantically apologizes to her, handing her multiple handkerchiefs, head bowing as apologies continuously sprout out of her mouth. She would have laughed if not for the searing heat of the coffee against her skin.

“Ma’am,” she says gently, unable to keep the amusement away from her voice, nearly chuckling at the stranger’s frantic state, “It’s fine. I’m fine. You can stop panicking now.”

“I really am sorry,” the stranger looks up and Jane feels her breath knocked out of her, “I wasn’t looking where I was going and, well, bumped into you. So, sorry about the shirt,” the stranger sheepishly points at her stained white blouse but Jane waves her off.

“It’s alright,” she says, “I’m not really here to impress anyone. I’m just here because –” she looks around, humming when she spots Anne Boleyn – the other girls surrounding her must be the rest of Henry’s exes; all of them young and sweet, she notes, her chest tightening. “Well, it’s a really bizarre situation. I’m actually here to meet my ex’s ex.”

The stranger squints her eyes, frowning, and only now does she realize how intimidating the woman is. “Ah, so you’re one of Henry’s exes?” she asks distastefully, clicking her tongue, “They’re at that table,” she scowls at Jane, walking to back to the counter without another word. Jane stares for one moment, wondering what she has done wrong – maybe, she’s also Henry’s ex and has some personal vendetta with him? Jane knows Henry – has spent enough time with him – to know that his attitude is not the most desirable ones. Jane sighs, shrugging, walking to the table. She sits beside the woman in a suit, amusedly noting that she and another woman with pink hair are lost in their own world. Anne Boleyn scrolls through her phone, barely acknowledging her presence.

“Um, hi…?” she starts, waving awkwardly when Anne looks up from her phone, “I’m Jane.”

Anne’s eyes widen in realization. “Oh, Jane Seams!” Anne exclaims happily, “You’re finally here – we’re finally complete!” she whoops into the air, her space buns nearly untying from her sheer energy, “This is Anna –” she points to the girl beside her, “– that is Kitty. Now, I’m sure you’ve met Catalina – the one who spilt coffee on you and cute blouse, by the way –” she speaks in a louder voice, clearing her throat, “– too bad some blind bitch had to ruin it!”

Jane raises her brows at Anne’s volume, certain that the whole shop can hear them. She’s sure the manager is one minute away from kicking them out.

Catalina walks over to them, scowling when she realizes her seat has been taken and sits down beside Jane with a huff, setting down the coffee and pushing one cup to Anna’s direction, to which the latter responds with a grateful nod. She glares at Anne, sipping on her coffee carefully.

“Look, Anne,” she says pointedly, “Would you just explain to us why we’re her and stop wasting our time?”

“Alright, miss prissy-pants,” Anne mocks, sneering, “Anyways, we all have one thing in common here – Henry fucking Tudor,” she says, her tone business-like, “That stupid, narcissistic, annoying, selfish and too-bad-for-anyone son of a bitch that, somehow, managed to lure _us_ – strong, beautiful and powerful women – into dating _him_ –”

“Please, Anne,” Catalina scoffs, rolling her eyes, “There was no luring you. You hooked up with him the moment he offered it!”

Anne shrugs. “Well, that’s just cause I’m fitter, honey, and you were just jealous back then,” she hums, thoughtful, “Never mind, you’re still definitely jealous right now. I mean, I won’t blame you. Have you seen m –”

Catalina sits up, slamming her fists on the table, facing Anne, nose flaring.

Kitty lets out a resigned sigh. “Can we all just please fucking calm down and talk about this like normal adults?”

“Yeah, please, I’ve still got to go back to the orphanage at five,” Jane says. Catalina throws one last glare in Anne’s way before she slumps back down on her seat, crossing her arms, resembling a child who’s been caught stealing a cookie.

“As I was saying – before _someone_ interrupted me – we all make mistakes and Henry is one of them,” she sighs, rolling her eyes, “He’s fucked us up, one way or another, and I’ve got a plan to spite him,” she smiles, sneaky and cunning, “We all date each other.”

Silence and then, “…we’re not children, Anne,” Anna says, “This isn’t middle school where we make our crush jealous by dating someone else,” she pauses, taking a careful sip of her coffee, “Besides, we all got our own lives here. We can’t dedicate it to Henry like some crazed exes.”

Anne glares at Anna. “I know we’re not children, Anna,” she says it slowly, mockingly, “I never said we were. And this dating thing – it won’t take up fifty years of our life, I swear. Just a few minutes. You know, to post pictures and shits,” she scoffs, “Imagine Henry’s face once he sees his exes dating each other. Don’t you wanna make him regret what he did to us?” her tone is nearly pleading – something too unlikely for someone like Anne.

They all share a look, questioning.

“Alright,” Kitty acquiesces, shrugging, “If it’s just a few minutes and a few posts, I don’t see the harm,” she smiles when Anne’s face visibly brightens, like a kid on a Christmas morning, “And, if it would make Henry feel like shit, then, a bonus.”

“See?” Anne nods frantically, pointing to Kitty, “Listen to her.”

“Okay, so say we all agreed,” Anna starts, humming, face contemplative, “How would this work? Would we be like a… polyamory or something like that?”

Anne shakes her head. “Six of us, three pairs,” she stops, gaze thoughtful, “Never mind, one will have to be left out. The Kelly Barr bitch isn’t here.”

Jane is about to volunteer to count herself out because _how the hell_ should she have time for this, for this childish comeback, for this petty revenge? But, as she attempts to talk her way out of this, she hesitates, remembering the way Henry has left her – no goodbyes, just a text message – and feels her stomach in knots, frowning. She bites back whatever it is she were to say, shaking her head.

“No volunteers?” Anne snorts to herself, “See, I told you,” she finishes her frappe, pushing the plastic away, “Anyways, since you all agreed and I don’t want to associate myself with any of you, you four go mix and match yourselves,” she rolls her eyes at the heart-eyes that Anna and Kitty send to each other, “Well, that leaves you and Jane,” she says to Catalina, standing from her chair and slinging her purse over her shoulders, “Spend some time with each other and, you know, do the get-to-know meetings. I’ll see you all later,” she walks away from the table, turning back once more to wave at them, “Au revoir!”

She walks with her head held up high, ignoring their protests from the dainty shop, happily skipping across the pavement.

**x**


End file.
